Propelling-paddle for swimmers.



L. M. BAKER. PROPBLLING PADDLE FOR SWIMMERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1911.

1,066,696, Patented July 8,1913.

nonnnzo M. BAKER, or ooumnus, on o,

PROPELLING-I'ADDLE non SWIMMERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1913.:

' Application filed November 4, 1911. Serial'No. 658,508.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, Lorenzo a citizen of the United States,

M. BAKER,

residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio; have invented certain new and useful Improvements in' Propelling- Paddles for Swimmers, of which the followin is a specification.

y invention relates to propelling paddles for swimmers and is articularly designed as an aid to accomplished swimmers for the purpose of increasing their possible speed in traveling through the water and also as an aid to beginners in enabling them to remain upon the surface of the water and to swim with greater ease owing to the decrease in'the difliculty of propulsion.

The main reason for the inability of the average person to swim when he is first learning, is the fact that one stroke made by him is not sufficiently effective to maintain headway until he has had time to fully recover for the next stroke. As a conse quence, the beginner tries'to increase the number of strokes and in a shorttime is exhausted.

With my inventioma beginner can, by a single stroke maintain himself under headway in the water for a sufficient length of time to fully recover for the next stroke and this may be'done without any great difficulty. As a consequence, my invention serves as a great aidto people learning to swim.

Another important feature of my invention resides in its efficiency and applicability to the service of life saving.

A number of lives are lost simply because the drowning person cannot be reached in time by, the life saver who is in the water swimming. By my inyention, the speed of the life saver in passage through the water may be greatly increased and this will inevitably be the cause of the decrease in the number of lives lost.

In order that the device may be peculiarly adaptable to life saving purposesand in order, also. that the swimmer iii-liming the same may have full use of his hands for the purpose of clinging to any object if he may so desire. I desirably provide a thumb hold of such a type thatthethumb may be re leased independently of the other fingers and without difficulty.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of my swimming paddle showing the position of the hand therein in dotted lines both in operative position and with the thumb out of the thumb hold, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. y

In its preferred form, my invention takes the shape of a body portion of metalor other comparatively rigid material 1 which is of substantially fan shape and which has itsupper edge curved. This body portion 1 is desirably of concave form. and upon its concave surface is provided with a plurality of finger holds orrings 2 which are rigidly secured thereto. body portion 1 and also upon the concave surface thereof is rovided a thumb hold 3 which is preferab y of a substantially U- shaped formation and provided with an open side to permit of the ready removal of the thumb therefrom by a lateral movement thereof.

In the normal swimming operation, the fingers are individually placed within the rings 2 and the thumb is within the thumb hold This permits of a firm support of the paddle upon the hand. It will be un derstood that the back of the hand is in contact with the concave dle. When it is such as a float in the water or such use drowning person, the thumb may be quickly released and, although the paddle is still retained upon the fingers the full arid free use of the hand is permitted. When the paddle is in operative position upon the hand, the hold by the fingers and the thumbs is assisted by the contacting relation of the back of the hand and of the concave surface of the body portion.

Further advantage of my invention resurface of the padsides in the fact that when the thumb is removed from the thumb holds, the general orrangement and formation of the finger rings is such that it is a practical impossibility to lose the paddle by relaxation of the hand. Thisis of considerable importance because the operator is enabled to entirely disregard this feature and at the same time to be assured of the retention of the paddle upon the hand.

of Fig. 1, and, Fig.

In the lower corner of thedesired to grasp an object What I claim, is In testimony whereof affix my signature A propelling paddle for swimmers comin presence of two Witnesses. prising a rigid paddle element of concave form, spaced ring finger holds, and a, thumb O E Z B 5 hold of hook form and having its open side Witnesses:

positioned for the ready Withdrawal of, the WALTER E. L. 13001;,

thumb laterally. C. SHEPHERD.

- Copies of this-patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' f Washington, 13.0. 

